Machine for lacquering loaded shot shells



H. N. MANN 1,770,620 MACHINE FOR LACQUERING LOADED SHOT SHELLS July 15,1930.-

Filed Feb. 20, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet w VEN TOR.-

July 15, 1930. H. N. MANN MACHINE FOR LACQUERING LOADED SHOT SHELLSFiled Feb. 20, 1 928 I 4 Sheets-Sheet July 15, 1930. H. N. MANN1,770,620

MACHINE FOR LACQUERING LOADED SHOT SHELLS Filed Feb. 20, 1928 4Sheets-Sheet 3 July.15, 1930. H. N. MANN MACHINE FOR LACQUERING LOADEDsHoT SHELLS 4 Sheet s-S heet 4 Filed Feb. 20 1928 //V l ENTOR PatentedJuly 1 ,193 y UNITED 'sjrA'r-ssrarsN'r oFFIJCE- nanny N. MANN, orWALPOLE, irassacnusn'rrs, Assrnon 'ro mm: a son, rim, or

EAST WALPOLE MASSACHUSETTS, -.A. CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS amacnmnron racoun nme LQADE) vsiao'r snrmns- 'A pplication' filed February"20,1928. sci-m1 no. 255,545.

This invention relates to a'machine for lacquering loaded shot-shells orcartridges such as are used for shot guns and has particular referenceto the coating of the non-metallic ortions of such shells withanitro-cellulose 1o spite exposure-to water'or moisture inany,

manufacturers of loaded shoe-gun shells. In

2 against In the drawings:

acquer whereby the non-metallic portions are waterproofed and arerendered im erviousto moisture and thusbetter adapte to retain theiruniform size and condition deform. Loaded shells may be. lacqueredwhether or not they include waterproofed material treated withparafiine, petroleum, or any of the well known compounds used byaddition to rendering the non-metallic material itself impervious towater, the crevice between the exposed wad and'the inturned or crimpedend of the'pa-per cylinder abutting the wad is filled so as to preventthe ingress of water. It is the object of this in'- vention to provide amachine for uniformly lacquering the exposed portions of such shot-jshells in an-eflicient and uniform manner.

Fig. 1 is a side elevatlon of the machine Fig. 2 is an elevation-ofthehead or feed end'of the machine; f f

Fig. 3 is a. side elevation'of certain ofthe a0 feed and dipping partsof the "machine illustrating certain steps in the method-of dipping aswell asthe mechanism employed in carrying out such method:

ig. 4. is an elevation of a shot-shell with 3 a portion broken away soas to better illustrate ping them from the hopper;

- elevation.

the exposed or end wad and theabutting inturned end of. thepapercylinder- Fig. 5 is a view showing in detail the means for aligningthe shells preparatory to drop- Fi'gs. -6 and 7 are respectively anelevation and cross-section of the same portion of the machine;

Fig. 8 shows in side elevation a revolving ate and air friction devicesat thetopan gottom thereof for the purpose of closing off the drying'zone of the. machine; and

"Fig. .9 shows a cross-section of conveyor bars with connecting links ofthecham in 1 33 whereby t e released shells falland shde oted'on a shaftI The lever member 19 is actuatedhopper 3 by tacts.

against the cam23, each finger member 19 lever 29which is actuated withthe fixed cam Referring to the drawings, and especially to Figs. 1, 2and 3, there is shown a machine having a frame generally designated at1,

which frame carries and-associates the War" at the drive and feed end ofthe rious parts machme.

These parts include a movable hopper 3 affixed at one end to a rockshaft 5 which raises and lowers the ho per 3 tor 18. 4

The feed hopper 3 has a slotted bottom (see Figs. 5-7.) which is adaptedto receive and align the shells placed in the hopper in hit or missfashion,

each row may besimultaneously v1ce. carryinga series of separate spring.pressed} finger members .19",

21 carried in one end-ofthe hopper. through the up and down motlon ofthe reason of its contact with the opposed fixed cam 23 with which theopposite end of the lever member 19 con- The .spring 20 holds. the lever19 holds a row of shells from sliding 'down to the enlargedends 25. ofthe slots 27, wh1ch enlarged ends 25 are sufficiently large to permitthe flanged drop therethrough, the shells havmgbeen initlally aligned ymeans of the deflectors 28 so thatthey drop into thev slots 27 and hanga therethrough as shown in Fig. 3. The shells the lever 19 being .PiY

ends of the shot-shells to a so that the shells hang by 7 their flangedends maligned rows so that the end shell of dropped from the hopper bythe timing de-.-

The latter includes a levermem ber-19 are released from their respectiveslots of a pivoted trigger through the movement of the hopper-3 byreasonofits contact 31 against whichthe trigger lever is held by thespring 32.- In-th s through the medium eac slot, with mitted to drowayla transverse row of shells, one shell from I flanged end uppermost1s perm;

inc

downwardly through the loading chutes and are thereby guided into aperforated 'conveyor bar 35,-the series of-these conveyor bars havingperforationsv sufliciently large to .-freely admit the'cylindricalportions of the shells, with countersunk depressions 36 whieh'receiveand hold the flanged metallic ends of the shells. The conveyor bars 35are connected to and carried by the chains 37 so that each perforatedconveyor bar is under the series of loading chutes 33 at the proper timeto receive. the shells dropped into the loading chutes by the respectivetrigger lever 29. The loading chutes 33 are pivoted at 39 and areindividually adjustable as to position by means of the set screws 41 sothat each loading chute 33 may be adjusted to hang in line with itsneighbor. Thepurpose or" pivoting the loading chutes is to provide forthe become jammed in the moving machine, there then, as the shell isabout to emerge, acclers actuation of a safety stop device so thatshould a shell, for any reason, become j ammed and but partially enterits hole in the conveyorbar 35, the upper portion of the shell which hasnot cleared its loading chute will swing the bottom end of such loadingchute in the direction ofmovement of the conveyor bars so as to causesuch loading chute to encounter and moveslightly, a transverse stop armbar 43 carried-by the lower ends of thetrip levers 45 one of whichpushes the button of" an electrical switch 47 so as to break theelectrical circuit of the motor 18 driving the machine and so stop theconveyorbefore.

an accident occurs. Such a safety arrangement is necessary for should aloaded shell might be disastrousconsequences.

The chains 37 that carrythe conveyor bars 35 are driven over a series ofsprockets 49 and carry the shells within a closed casing 51 where thelacquer is applied, drained, andhardened before the shellsemergetherefrom into the room. The chains with the filled conveyor barsupon passing into the casing 51 first descend underchain guides 53 so asto incline, and dip'the shells into the lacquer bath 55 suitably.maintained at a constant levelin the tank 57 by means of the weir 57 andbelt-driven gear pump 58 which returnsthe overflowing lacquer to thebath. It will be noted from Figs. 1 and 3 that the shells are dippedinto thecoating with their I axes inclined atanangle to the surface'ofthe bath and are removed at a different and,

so to speak, opposite angle, the purpose of which is to uniformly coatthe entire exposed non-metallic surface of the shell, This is done bycarrying the shells into the lacquer at an angle so that whateverpocketed air re-.

mains rises and momentarily lags behind and ates and moves to theopposite and leading rsldesothat thelacquer can coat the uncoated insidesurface where the pocketed'air was interposed, the air moving'across theinside of the cupped end of the shell and out into the casing 51. Thusthe tipping of the immersed shell allows the entire inner surface of thecupped end of the shell to be coated with lacsuerdespite any entrappedair. The inclined emergence of the shells provides for theseparateddrops at various points about the edge at the wad end of the shell. Uponemerging frnm the bath of lacquer, the shells are carried upwardlytowards the next sprocket 49, the lacquer meanwhile having dripped fromthe lower ends of the inclined shells, and thence through a revolvinggate 59 belt driven (as shown in Fig. 1) and air friction device 61 intoan air channel orbox 63 within the casing 51. The wings of the revolvinggate move at the same. lineal rate of speed as the conveyor bars andthere are a sufficient number ot-Wings so that the air cannot readilypass between the ends of these wings and the opposing edges of the airfriction device 61 which minimize the amount of escaping air. Warmed airis passed into the air box 63 through the elbow 65 on the lower portionof the air box .63 surrounding the lower flight of the shell conveyor sothat such air is forced into the lower run of the air box and 1s movedin a directlon opposlte the direction of movement of the conveyor, andthen passes out of the upper portion of the air box at the elbow 67adjacent'the revolving gate 59. In' this way the active hot air isconfined to a U-shaped channel in the machine surrounding the coatedshells and thus affords a drying zone separated from the dipping portionof the machine where the air 1s heavily laden with the volatile solvent.

This isof importance as the heated air evaporates thesolvent so quicklthat the shells would not drain properly i any substantial amount of theheated air came in contact with them before the draining was, completed.Heated air is supplied to the'elbow 65 by suitable means (not shown) andthe exhaust" air carrying the solvent "is sucked through the elbow 67 bysuitable means (not shown). In

practical operation it is preferred that a: sol-v the next sprockets49'atthe' end of the upper flight preparatory to being held with their'axes in .a horizontal-position as they pass down to the loweirfliglit;or run of the con.-

veyor as shown. In orderto retain the shells veyor bars until the shells(now inverted) I reach, and their flanged ends rest upon, a

lower conveyor made up of imper-forate bars v71, which bars are aflixedto chains 73 running over the sprockets 7 5 and are moved at the samelineal rate of speed as theupper conveyor, This conveyor supports theinverted shells so that they are carried along through thelower half ofthe air box 63 until they pass through the revolving gate and past asecond or lower air friction device 61. The shells thencontinue alongwith the two adjacent sets of conveyor bars being held in their sameposition with reference to the upper conveyor bars until the conveyorchains begin to diverge as clearly shown in Fig. 1. As the upper andlower conveyors continue their respective flights, -they graduallyseparate until the shells, resting on the lower conveyor bars, areentirely clear of the upper conveyor bars in which they were in itiallydeposited, and pass out over the end of the run of the lower conveyor tobe received in a suitable shell receiving receptacle indicated at 77.

As shown in Fig. 1, the lower conveyor chains 73 aredriven through thedrive chain 79 which rotates the sprocket 80 aflixed to the shaft 81which also carries two conveyor chain sprockets 75 also afiixed thereto.The drive chain? 9 is driven through the sprocket 82 affixed to theshaft'82 which is driven through the upper conveyor chains and sprockets49 also aifixed so as to rotate the shaft 81, the upper sprocket 83being simply an idler and free to turn upon its shaft. The upperconveyor chains 37 are driven'through the shaft 87 by means of the twosprockets 49 affixed thereon and the shaft 87 is rotated through thespur gears 88 and 89 from the main drive shaft 13 carrying the gear 89.

Having described my invention, I wish to claim and secure byLettersPatent:

1. A shot-shell lacquering machine having, in combination. means toalign and hold shells in a predetermined and standard relation .and touniformly present said shells in predetermined position to a dippingdevice. a dipping device adapted to hold the shells by their flangedends with said ends uppermost and dip the shells downwardly and into'abath of lacquer with the respective axes of I the shells inclined withreference to the surin combination, an endless conveyor adapted to holdloaded shot-shells by their flanged ends and with said flanged endsuppermost,

means to align and uniformly present shells to said conveyor inpre-determined position, means adapted to cause said conveyor to carrylacquer with the respective axes of the shells inclined with referenceto the surface of said bath of lacquer, means to cause said shells toemerge fromsaidbath at. different angle of inclination and within anenclosed draining space, means to maintaimthe surface of the bath oflacquer at a definite level, and means for subsequently exposing saidshells to a current of warm air whereby the solvent is evaporated fromthe lacquer coating on said shells.

I 3. A shot-shell lacquering machine having in combination, an endlessconveyor adapted to hold loaded shot-shells by their flanged ends andwith" said flanged ends uppermost, means to uniformly present shells tosaid conveyor, said means including a series of movable loading chutesthe movement of the bottom of any one of which moves-a device to stopthe movement of said conveyor, means adapted to cause said conveyor tocarry said shells downwardly and into a bath of lacquer with therespective axes of the shells inclined Withreference to the surface ofsaid bath of lacquer, means to cause said'shells to-emerge from'saidbath at a different angleof inclination and within an enclosed drainingspace, and means for subsequently exposin said shells to a current'ofwarm air where y the solvent is evaporated from the lacquer coat- I ingon said shells.

4. A shot-shell lacquering machine having' in combination, an endlessconveyor adapted to hold loaded shot-shells by their' flanged ends andwith said flanged ends up permost, means to align'and uniformly presaidshells downwardly and into a bathof sent shells to said conveyor inpre-determined position, 'means adapted to-cause said conveyor to carrysaid shells downwardly and into a bath of lacquer with the respectiveaxes of the shells inclined withreference to the surface ofsaid bath oflacquer, means to cause said shells to completely emerge from said bathat a different angle-of inclination and within an enclosed drainingspace where in the air is maintained substantially heavilyladen withsolvent, and means for subse quently-exposing said shells -to a currentof solvent free warm air-whereby the solvent is evaporated from thelacquer coating on said shells. v v

5.- A shot-shell lacquering machine having in combination, an endlessconveyor adapted to hold loaded shot-shells by their flanged ends andwith said flanged ends uppermost, means to uniformly present shells tosaid conveyor, means adapted to cause said conveyor to carry said shellsdownwardly and into a bath of lacquer with the respective axes of theshells inclined with reference to the surface of said bath of lacquer,means to cause said shells toemerge from said bath 'at a and with saidflanged ends uppermost, means to align and uniformly present shells tosaid conveyor in pre-determined position, means adapted to cause saidconveyor to carry said shells downwardly and into a bath of lacquer withthe respective axes of'the shells inclined with reference to the surfaceof said bath of lacquer, means to cause said shells to emerge from saidbath at a different angle of inclination and within an enclosed drainingspace, and means for subsequently exposing said shells to a current ofwarm air whereby the solventis evaporated from the lacquer coating onsaid shells.

7. A shot-shell lac'quering machine having in combination an endlessconveyor adapted to hold loaded shot shells by their flanged endsand'with said flanged ends uppermost, a hopper for supplying the shellsto said conveyor, means in said hopper to align said shells and positionthem with their flanged ends uppermost; means to transfer said shells aspositioned to said conveyor, means adapted to causesaid conveyor tocarry said shells into a bath of lacquer and along a path inclined withreference to the surface of said 1 bath and to cause said shells toemerge from said bath along. a path'of difl'erent inclination and withinan enclosed draining space, and means for subsequently exposing saidshells to a confined current of warm air whereby the solvent isevaporated from the lacquer coating on the shells, and a revolvmggate-adapted to admit shells to and confine the warm air.

8. A shot-shell lacquering machine having in combination an endlessconveyor adapted to holdloaded shot-shells by their flanged ends andwithsaid flanged ends uppermost, a hopper for supplying the shells tosaid conveyor, means in said hopper to align said shells and positionthemwith their flanged ends uppermost, means to transfer said shells aspositioned to said conveyor, comprising a series of movable loadingchutes, the movement of the bottom of anyone of which moves a device tostop the movement of said conveyor, means adapted to cause said conveyorto carry said shells into a bath of lacquer and along a path in air.

- HARRY N. MANN.

